This invention relates to ten pin bowling lanes and other indoor bowling lanes such as five pin and duck pin bowling lanes. It is especially useful for a reconstructed bowling lane surface, in a method of preparing a bowling lane surface, and as a bowling lane surface protecting material over wood or synthetic lanes.
Bowling lane assemblies are composed of an elongated lane, a wider approach section at the foul line end, and a pin deck on the pin deck end. These lanes are primarily of two main types. One type is formed of joined wood boards. The other type has a synthetic surface on a support base such as pressed wood. Both types are mounted on an elevating support structure.
After a period of use of the lane, the action of bowling balls on the lane surface and repeated refinishing of the surface creates wear and dents requiring resurfacing or reconstruction of the lane. A conventional way of treating the lane is to sand it down and apply a new finish coat to it. Another more recent technique for resurfacing bowling lanes is to cover the lane with a thin flexible tape or film 0.076 to 0.178 mm (3 to 7 mils) thickness and having an undersurface coated with adhesive, not totally unlike a giant roll of cellophane tape, as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,795,152 and 4,867,816.
This later technique has been found to be effective for many bowling establishments and has been widely used. However, it is not universally applicable, and it requires considerable skill and effort to avoid problems associated with the large underside adhesive surface area. The film must be carefully controlled as it is being unrolled and laid in order to minimize air pockets, misalignment, and other difficulties from an adhesive material of this nature. One specific difficulty, which arises when using this film, occurs due to seasonal movement in boards for wooden lanes. Because the material is adhered to the entire surface of the lane, the expansion and contraction of the wood boards can cause waves or tunneling of the film material resulting in a lane surface that is not smooth. Later removal of the film also destroys the film.
Additionally, the film material is thin and does not prevent the wood underneath from being dented by the ball or pins. Abrasive material or sharp pieces on the ball may penetrate the thin film. The ball can also penetrate the film used in this technique if the film is not cared for properly. The film lasts only 3-10 years.
Rigid synthetic lane panels are also sometimes used to reconstruct lane surfaces. However, this is extremely expensive and leaves joints between the panels. The panels are usually about xc2xd inch and 12 feet long phenolic or phenolic and pressed wood panels.
It would be advantageous to be able to protect new lanes from the need to recondition them, or, if worn, to protect them against further wear, and thereby extend their useful life indefinitely.
The novel method, materials, and combination protects new or reconditioned lanes from wear. It also avoids difficulties associated with the above-mentioned previously patented development.
An aspect of this invention is to provide a unique method, sheet material, and resulting lane construction that can be readily manufactured in extruded form, can be readily installed, neither utilizes nor requires adhesive spread over the undersurface of the material, is readily removed and replaced, if necessary, at a later date. Typically, but not necessarily, the method employs small strips of double-sided tape or other adhesive means or any type of mechanical fastening system at select locations for installation and retention of position. It protects the lane, whether of wood or synthetic material, and extends the life of the lane. It can also be used to revamp damaged sections of a lane.
The method achieves resurfacing of a bowling lane, even the approach and pin deck area if desired, with a sheet of flexible, relatively thick, polymer having a thickness of about 0.63 to 2.50 mm (25-100 mils), uncoated with adhesive. The side edges of the lane-covering polymer sheet can be trimmed, and then the end edges trimmed, if necessary. Any initial waves in the laid extruded sheet have been found to basically disappear after being pushed down by a towel bar from the foul line to the pin deck. The polymer sheet may be one layer of clear 100% polycarbonate.
The extruded polymer sheet may also comprise a first layer and a second layer underlying the first layer. The first layer may be 100% polycarbonate or alternatively, may be a mixture of about 5-20% of a lubricious polymeric material, i.e., Teflon(copyright), and correspondingly about 80-95% polycarbonate. When 100% polycarbonate is used, the total thickness of the first layer is about 25% of the total thickness of the extruded polymer sheet. When the first layer is made of polycarbonate and Teflon(copyright), the first layer is about 5-50% of the total thickness of the extruded polymer sheet.
The first layer may contain an optical brightener, which may include a fluorescent dye that is responsive to ultraviolet light. The sheet may optionally include a third layer beneath the second layer. The optional second and third layers may contain a tinting dye or an ultraviolet blocking agent to avoid uneven glow appearance from substances beneath the film in the wood, etc. A replaceable decorative film, advertising material or web material of chosen design and colors may be placed beneath the applied polymeric sheet or printed on the surface, usually on the bottom, of the polymer sheet as well.